1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a gaging tool and the method of using the tool, and, more particularly to a gaging tool for checking the alignment of two spaced apart holes located on a common axis. The tool has a special utility for checking the alignment of bearing seats on half round yokes for universal joints.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
There are a wide variety of what are usually termed plug gages for determining the dimensional accuracy, usually a diameter, of holes. These are usually supplied in sets to provide a type of go/no-go gaging in which a plug gage of one size passes within or through the hole, and a plug gage of a slightly larger size does not pass into the hole. Thus the dimension of the hole can be established as lying between the diameters of the two plug gages.
When it comes to measuring the alignment accuracy of two spaced apart holes, the simple plug gage will not suffice. The usual procedure for checking the alignment of spaced holes involves the use of jigs and a feeler gage which must be elaboratley set up for checking each individual pair of spaced holes. Such a procedure is not practical and often impossible to perform in the field checking of the alignment of half round yoke cross holes for a universal joint.
Gaging tools recently developed by the Spicer Division of Dana Corporation permits checking the alignment of cross holes in U-joint components such as the full round end yokes, slip yokes and flange yokes used with universal joints. This alignment gage tool consists of a single alignment bar having an accurately ground surface for checking the alignment of spaced full round bearing holes. This gaging tool and its use is described in four page Bulletin No. 3236 printed by Dana Corporation, Toledo, Ohio entitled "Spicer.RTM. U-joint Component Crosshole Alignment and Wear Gauges". This tool, however, does not provide a means for checking the alignment of half round bearing seats of a universal joint half round yoke.
As discussed in the aformentioned bulletin, one of the hardest working moving parts in a truck is the universal joint. Becuase of the extreme wear to which this U-joint is subjected, it must be replaced periodically. This is accomplished by the use of a kit which has a new universal joint with a first pair of aligned cross hole bearings for attachment to the drive shaft end yoke and a second pair of aligned bearings for attachment to the axle or the transmission yoke. Heretofore, both yoke connections had full round bearings seats, and the worn U-joint was removed by unbolting the closed end bearing cups from the yokes. A universal joint and a full round bearing seat yoke is shown in the upper picture on page 5 of 10 page Bulletin No. 3249 printed by Dana Corporation entitled "Spicer Universal Joint Division Drivelines and Components". If the yoke cross holes are misaligned, a new U-joint kit is likely to fail prematurely. The aformentioned new gaging tool allowed checking for misalignment in a full round bearing seat yoke. If there is misalignment the yoke must be replaced before installation of the U-joint kit.
A major improvement allowing faster U-joint replacement has been achieved by the introduction of half round end yokes where the cross holes are defined by half round bearing seats. Such a yoke is shown in the lower left hand photograph on page 8 of the aforementioned Bulletin no. 3249. However, the alignment of this type of yoke cannot be checked with the aforementioned gage. The end bearing cap retention lugs prevent passing the alignment tool into contact with both half round bearings seats, and even if there were no retention lugs, there is no way of sensing that the gage is in alignment. The bearing retention straps are not machined to act as the "other half" of the bearing seat to create a full round hole. The alignment of newly installed bearings cannot be checked at the closed end cap of the bearing does not allow sliding of the tool through one bearing into the other.